24 gust and disapproval of your stand in regard to convoys," Miss Marie Luhrs, of 12 7 West Eighty-second Street, wrote him in April, 1 941, eXplaining, without euphemism, that he turned her stomach. "I shall see to it that none of my friends and neighbors vote for you. Because we have disgustingly un- American representatives like you, this great, proud, independent, rich Repub- lic is being brought to ruin and de- pendency. What a hideous, revolting spectacle you boys represent! I am a third-generation American, a graduate of Barnard College, and a member of the Poetry Society of America. My first volume of poems will be issued in the Autumn and not by a 'vanity' publisher, either. You must be very proud of your- self, Mr. Baldwin." Baldwin received so many communi- cations in this vein during his first few months in Congress that he composed a form reply, setting forth the reasons for his foreign policy and concluding: This has been a long letter, but even so, not as complete, or adequate, as I would like to make it. Unfortunately, my correspondence is so overwhelming-well over a hundred letters a day-that I don't get the time I'd like to answer each one a t length. I hope sometime to have the opportunity of si!ting down and talking this over with you In person. Again thanks for your letter. Although this did not act as a seda- tive to the poetic Miss Luhrs, who kept right on informing her congressman that he turned her stomach, Baldwin's epistolary style was at least once, in the case of Mr. Charles Noonan, of 43 West Thirty-second Street, a big suc- cess. Mr. Noonan started the ball roll- ing by writing Baldwin as follows: DEAR CONGRESSMAN: I note with reg.ret that you are inter- ventionist, and that you have joined the procession led by the screeching Thomp- son woman, the howling "Winchell," the double-crossing Willkie, and the rest. One could imagine that you represented an English shire instead of an American con- stituency. The warmongers have their innings now-dual allegiance is the fashionable thing-but there will come another day when the policy of George Washington will prevail again and real Americans will assert themselves. Until then I remain yours for America first and forever. Baldwin answered this note tem- perately and sent Noonan copies of a couple of interventionist radio speeches he had made. Noonan wrote Bald- win a second letter, a thousand words long, telling him that in these speeches he had combined "an eloquence which TEACHING TO SHOOT (ENGLAND,]ULY,1942) When we were first together as lover and beloved We had nothing to learn; together we improved On all the world's wide learning, and bettered it, and loved. Now you stand on the summer lawn and I am to show you First how to raise gun to shoulder, bow head, stare quickly, and fire; Then how to struggle with the clumsy bolt (outdated), withdraw, return, and again-fire. As the evening darkens, even this summer evening, and the trees Bend down under the night wind and the leaves rush in a flaming fire, I am to show you how to bend your body, take step lightly-and I hold your arm (Thin and sleek and cool as a willow wand fresh in my hand), And in your hand you clasp fervently this dirty lump, this grenade. This thing that you hold as you once held my hand is ready to kill. We intend it to finish those who would finIsh us-we who"' are not III , Are not old, are not mad; we who have been young and who still Have reason to live, knowing that all is not told. In your hand you hold iron, and iron is too old, And steel, which breaks and shatters and is cold, And our hands are together as always, and know well what they hold. -VALENTINE ACKLAND . is truly admirable with a logic which is wholly false." Baldwin, who is a more logical man than Noonan had bargained for, replied with a thousand-word let- ter, enclosing another speech. "I appre- ciate more than I can say your long let- " h " I . h ter, e wrote. t IS so rare t at a constituent takes the trouble to write at length, and it does help to exchange views. I appreciate it in the second place, because so much of what you say expresses my own opinion." If Mr. Noonan should ever find himself in Washington, Bald win said in conclu- sion, forgetting for the moment that he spends a certain amount of time away from the capital, "1 hope you will let me know and have lunch with me. I t would be so interesting to sit down and talk all this out. Again thanks for m' :-:- . r ' fjJt < ":..f ,. " ;l ý t[:"ffi:\ , ,'Y" Wi i ii("' J "' ':"'>;' ::-;. . :' '.:- ..,,:, :::: :-::.: . t ':, , ,} :.::: .:-:.:...:,...;......... . " ;;g <<.,:.......... .'.-:; ,::::::::: :::::: ,:: ,::J.,.:':":,' .:' . .".' i (, )w... : ,:."f: :',1' .Æ: .K... $',',: .-:-:.;.:. ., I:" .J.ó $:. . .-;.;..'f<;< :.:::. """'''_ '' _.._"::.j. .; :.:.: :>>; .:: :: '.. .::;\{ ::.:;;M;dÎ ; ; ;i Jj;;t".&. ':w.. ..iÆtt:::: :.,i:;.::: : ::< :::,:,-'-'.,"---- -- w f , ,"'R Ð . your letter." At this point Noonan gave up. He wrote: DEAR CONGRESSMAN: I do not think it would be fair or even decent to weigh down a man already over- burdened with any further correspondence. I received your letter, your speech, and your very generous invitation) and wish to extend to you my very sincere thanks and appreciation. I hope that no matter how far apart our ideas may be regard- ing the conduct of our foreign affairs, you will still remain my friend, as I will cer- tainly remain yours. Many voters look upon their congress- man as a liaison agent between them- selves and the government, and much of Baldwin's mail consists of requests for priorities, military or naval commis- sions, Civil Service jobs, visas for friends and relatives abroad, and so on. In most cases such letters are simply relayed to the proper governmental department by Baldwin's experienced Congressional secretary, Mrs. Grace Sonfield, a lady who similarly served Kenneth Simp- son. In rare cases, if the petitioner is, say, a member of the Racquet Club or the possessor of a title, Baldwin will take the matter up himself with the ap- propriate official. All told, since en ter- ing the House, he has sent or super- vised the sending of replies to some thirty thousand letters. N EXT to disposing of his volumi- nous correspondence, Baldwin's greatest pleasure in Washington has